Connect with us

Consoles

In-Depth Analysis of the Anno 1800 Console Version

blank

Published

on

blank

With the release of Anno 1800 Console Edition, 2019’s best PC colony builder is now playable on PS5, and we were relieved to find that the port went smoothly.Everything that used to require a mouse and keyboard is now perfectly at home on a console, and thanks to DualSense, it’s even better than ever.

In Anno 1800, you play as a businessman during the Industrial Revolution who wants to create a prosperous trading empire. So that your people on an isolated island group can always enjoy the comforts of modern life, you must grow raw materials and make consumer goods.If you decide that the pros are more important than the cons, your tough townies will become spoiled bourgeoisie and maybe even aristocrats.

As you progress through society, you’ll get access to new structures that will allow you to grow your business and interact with the outside world. Nearby islands may be occupied by either the intelligent computer (with its own unique personality and playstyle, á la the Civilization series) or as many as sixteen human players.

blank

The PC version of the game has been updated over the years, and this console edition includes all of those updates for free. Overall, it’s a rare treat on the PS5 and PS4 in that it’s a strategy game that’s both highly replayable and a bit arcade-y (at least in comparison to something like the recent and more meticulous Transport Fever 2).

There is a long, fully voice-acted, single-player story campaign that is both a tutorial and a nice addition to the game. It is based on a Dickensian story about family drama.After your businessman father dies too soon, your evil, mustache-twirling Uncle Everard robs you and your siblings and leaves you with the bill for his funeral.

You need to take over the family business and build a successful trading company, and the foundation of this enterprise is your farmers. If you have access to cheap building supplies and some spare cash, you can quickly and easily construct crude shacks for them to live in. To keep them content, however, you’ll need to construct and manage fisheries (fish), grow potatoes for distilling into rough alcohol (schnapps), and raise sheep for making sturdy garments out of their woolen fleeces (work clothes). In addition, they’d require a market to stock up on supplies and a pub to wash away the stresses of the day.

blank

Farmers have the lowest demand, but they need a steady supply of the above materials to keep going. This means that there needs to be a strong industrial complex and logistics infrastructure.After a person’s basic needs have been met, you can help them move up the social ladder by improving their living conditions by upgrading their home.

As an example of the exponential snowball effect this has, consider that the third class of citizens (out of six), the artisans, need everything the farmer does plus sausages, bread, soap, canned food, sewing machines, fur coats, rum, and convenient access to universities, churches, and variety theaters. This trend continues as colonial powers expand into the New World to meet the rising demand for coffee and chocolate among well-heeled engineers and investors.

To top it all off, workers are likely to revolt if they suddenly lose access to these conveniences (or if they are worked just a little too hard). And since the rioting workers aren’t working (and thus aren’t paying taxes), they’ll spend all day persuading the poor to band together in violent mobs to overthrow the government.

blank

The most important part of the game’s strategy is making sure that your new colony is set up and built in the best way possible.You can establish diplomatic or military relations with your neighbors, trade goods and services, and more by sending one of your ships out. Combat is a last resort and not the main focus, but it is there if all else fails.

The PlayStation version has a completely new way to control the game, which is a great way to adapt what is basically a classic PC strategy game.While the learning curve is steep, DualSense makes diving into the weeds of that particularly thorny street a breeze once you’ve got the hang of it. The Annopedia, which includes every conceivable detail about the game’s numerous intricate mechanisms, is also brand new and significantly more comprehensive than the tutorial was in the original release.

Even though the Console Edition sometimes loses frames when zooming in on very busy streets, this happens rarely and doesn’t take away from the experience as a whole. A late-game colony, especially one handcrafted by someone who takes offense at the very idea of asymmetry, is a sight to behold, especially on a large screen. It’s dramatic music to match your imperial aspirations.

blank

Even with the expanded tutorial and Annopedia, there is still a steep learning curve to be aware of.Anno 1800 is not necessarily “fun” at first because of its complexity. Rather, the fun is in the journey itself, from carefully tending to your ever-demanding populace to achieve greatness to optimizing your enterprise before competing on the global stage.

Conclusion
Anno 1800 Console Edition takes a deep and rewarding PC strategy game and makes it work well on a console. Anyone looking for a more arcade-style management sim will feel right at home with the game’s engaging mechanics and insane amount of replay value (not to mention multiplayer).

Pros:

Complex commercial and industrial infrastructures.
fascinatingly competitive element.
Absolutely stunning visuals and audio.

The potential for repetition is insane.

Cons:

Complexity can be intimidating.
Drops in frame rate may occur in busy areas.

As Editor here at GeekReply, I'm a big fan of all things Geeky. Most of my contributions to the site are technology related, but I'm also a big fan of video games. My genres of choice include RPGs, MMOs, Grand Strategy, and Simulation. If I'm not chasing after the latest gear on my MMO of choice, I'm here at GeekReply reporting on the latest in Geek culture.

Consoles

New PS5 firmware is available for download!

blank

Published

on

blank

A PS5 firmware update on a cold winter morning is unmatched. The latest PS5 system software update is 23.02–08.40.00 from Sony. Does this one add useful features or just boost system performance?

Though closer to the latter, it’s more than Sony’s favorite patch note. It fixes security issues, improves messages and usability, and boosts system software performance. Official patch notes for this 1.185GB update:

  • We updated system software security
  • We improved system software stability and performance
  • Some screens now have better messages and usability

That’s it. PS5 gets another win to recover from its midweek slump. Do you share our enthusiasm for this firmware update? Comment below. To spice things up, make your comment rhyme.

 

Continue Reading

Consoles

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Xbox Version Will Help PS5

blank

Published

on

blank

Belgian developer Larian Studios’ work on Baldur’s Gate 3’s Xbox Series S version will improve performance on all platforms, including PS5. The game’s fifth major patch, expected to launch this week, will include upgrades and new features. More details will be revealed later today.

Director of Publishing Michael Douse says PS5 performance improvements may be the “least exciting thing” in the title’s next update, so it sounds like a big one. Larian Studios employees are proud of “finally” implementing tweaks, fixes, and changes, Douse says. Later today, we’ll bring you all the Baldur’s Gate 3 update details.

blank

Those who reached the RPG’s third act have reported technical issues during the narrative’s conclusion, especially in co-op, so today’s update should fix them. New features like a permadeath mode are expected, along with Xbox Series S optimization fixes. What else should be added to the game?

Continue Reading

Consoles

PC Mounts Show PlayStation Trophy Support

blank

Published

on

blank

We love the PlayStation ecosystem, especially its top first-party studios, but Sony Interactive Entertainment could do more to build goodwill. The long-awaited Trophy support for PS5 games on PC appears to be closer to reality, though nothing official has been announced.

TrueTrophie’s scanners found a new PS5 Trophy list with “PSPC” as a platform. The list, titled “Trophy Set” and unattached to a game, appears to be a test. TrueTrophies notes that developers rarely submit their own platforms to PSN, suggesting Sony is behind it.

TrueTrophies says this platform is separate from PS5 but can connect to it, suggesting compatibility. As PlayStation fans know, PS4, PS Vita, and PS3 games could share a list. In October 2022, Sony added PSN support to Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered’s PC release, allowing players to link Steam accounts to unlock an exclusive skin. Potentially minor, but something we’ll watch.

TrueTrophies lists PlayStation Trophies for serious hunters. They scrape the PlayStation Network’s ominous underbelly with scanners to provide the most up-to-date trophy lists, sometimes dangerously. TrueTrophies posted Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s trophy list weeks ago, with spoiler titles.

Continue Reading

Trending